The Complete Path

His Holiness Ratna Vajra Rinpoche

The 42nd Sakya Trizin

The International Buddhist Academy (IBA) in Kathmandu is launching a global training program that encompasses the Buddhist path in its entirety. This unique course is devised to provide Dharma practitioners of all levels of experience a systematic training focused mainly on the theory and practice of the Vajrayana path as transmitted by the founding masters of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism.

His Holiness Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, the elder son of His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trizin and one of the most important lineage holders living today, was requested to teach this program at the International Buddhist Academy, an ideal setting in Kathmandu for this intensive training course. In addition, IBA is establishing partnerships with selected Dharma centers on different continents to offer the first three years of this program to be taught by qualified lamas and guest teachers. Please contact IBA for more details.

Video Introduction of The Complete Path by His Holiness the Sakya Trizin

Detailed program at IBA:

2017

August 1 – August 26

Clarifying the Sage‘s Intent

August 1 – August 5

Introductory course

with Khenpo Ngawang Jorden

August 7 – August 26

Clarifying the Sage‘s Intent

by the Great Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltsen

This text by Sakya Pandita, one of the founders of the tradition, is a complete presentation of the theory and practice of the Mahayana, covering the topics of Buddha nature, refuge, bodhicitta, the six paramitas, the stages of the path and the qualities of the resultant state of buddhahood.

2018

The Beautiful Ornament of the Three Visions

by Ngorchen Khönchog Lhundrup

* Tentative dates:July 27 – August 16

The Beautiful Ornament of the Three Visions, taught in preparation for the Vajrayana path, is the meditation manual for the sutra path according to the Lamdré cycle of teachings. It covers all the practices from going for refuge and bodhicitta up to the cultivation of calm abiding and special insight, culminating in a description of the qualities of enlightenment manifesting with the perfection of these practices.

2019

Hevajra cause empowerment and preliminaries – teachings and practice

* Tentative dates:August 15 – September 4

Hevajra is the main deity of the Sakya tradition and its practice is the focus of the Lamdré teachings. The practice of the preliminaries or ngöndro (Refuge, Bodhicitta, Vajrasattva, Mandala, and Guru Yoga) is an indispensable foundation for the higher tantric yogas.

2020

A General Presentation of the Tantras by Lopön Sönam Tsemo, and the first part of The Tree of Clear Realization

by Jetsün Dragpa Gyaltsen

A General Presentation of the Tantras is one of the principal texts for the study of tantra in the Sakya tradition and was composed by Lopön Sönam Tsemo, one of the tradition’s founding masters. It includes a general presentation of the subject, explanations of the titles of the tantric scriptures and of the manner in which the tantras are taught.

The Tree of Clear Realization is the second key text on tantra studied in the Sakya tradition. Its first part, composed by Lopön Sönam Tsemo, includes a presentation of the refuge and other pratimoksha vows, bodhicitta, the four Indian schools of Buddhist philosophy, and an overview of the four classes of tantra.

2021

The Tree of Clear Realization

by Jetsün Dragpa Gyaltsen

The second part of The Tree of Clear Realization was composed by Jetsün Dragpa Gyaltsen, the younger brother of Sönam Tsemo. This part focuses on the highest yoga tantra, and in particular on the practice of Shri Hevajra. It explains the process of empowerment and the eleven clear realizations (view, creation stage, completion stage, conduct, and immediate cause – to accomplish the supreme siddhi; mantra recitation, torma offering, fire ritual, consecration, and various activities – to accomplish the common siddhis; and the samayas and vows necessary for the accomplishment of both the supreme and the common siddhis), up to the qualities of perfect enlightenment.

2022

The Hevajra Root Tantra

The Hevajra Root Tantra is one of the most important Indian Buddhist scriptures of the Vajrayana. It is one of three tantras on the deity Hevajra and the root of Sakya Lamdré teachings. Due to the profound nature of this text, instructions on it are rarely given, which makes this occasion particularly precious.

2023

Hevajra meditation instructions based on the Lamdré teachings

The heart of the Sakya tradition is the Lamdré cycle of teachings based on the Hevajra Tantra. In this course, His Holiness will teach the uncommon view of khordé yermé, ‘the non-differentiation of samsara and nirvana’, and give detailed practice instructions for the practice of Hevajra, the central tantric deity in the Sakya tradition.